EFFECT OF THERANOSTIC PHOSPHOLIPIDIC SRCL2/SRI2AND β-D FRUCTOPYRANOSE BASED NANOPARTICLES ON CELL VIABILITY AND UPTAKE

Introduction: Nanoparticles can be engineered with precise sizes, shapes, composition and with surface targeting ligands that allow a specific interaction with target cells. The aim of this work was to analyze the effect of non-toxic and low-cost Sr/I-based nanoparticles, in order to develop a new 89Sr- and/or 131I-based radiotherapy method on cell lines. In particular we analyzed the effect on cellular uptake and cell viability of compound 1(89Sr(fructose) Cl · H O) and compound 2(89Sr(fructose) I and Sr 222 22 (fructose)2131I2), on a non-tumour cell line, hTERT-HME1, and a tumour cell line, HT-29. The compounds studied exhibit some features that could be interesting for biomedicine applications, such as the biocompatibility due to their non-toxic components and the significant SH emission, that can permit exploitation for in vitro bio-imaging. Materials and methods: We tested the effect of nanoparticles encapsulated in a hydrophilic shell of mPEG-DSPE that increases their biocompatibility on non-tumour and tumour cell lines, hTERT-HME1and HT-29, respectively. In particular, we analyzed the cellular uptake of nanoparticles and the effect on cell viability. To evaluate the effect of nanoparticles on cell viability, we treated hTERT-HME1and HT-29cell lines with five different nanoparticles concentrations, and cell viability was assessed using ATP content and the CellTiter-Glo® Luminescent Cell Viability Assay (Promega). Results: hTERT-HME1cell line showed sensitivity to compound 1already at the lowest concentration, while compound 2reduced hTERT-HME1cell viability in a dose-dependent manner; HT-29viability was reduced of about 70% and 50% only at the highest concentration of nanoparticles of compounds 1and 2, respectively. The nanoparticles covered with mPEG-DSPE can be detected for few days in a biological medium and can be internalized into hTERT-HME1and HT-29cells. Discussion and conclusions: In this work we have analyzed the effect of Sr/I-based nanoparticles, on cell uptake and viability. The nanoparticles formulation could be useful to concentrate the effect of 89Sr and 131I radio-API in a specific tissue, allowing a selective activity of the activated compounds. The nanoparticles are biocompatible and are internalized into the cell; the viability of cell lines utilized is influenced by the presence of the nanoparticles themselves rather than their chemical composition.